The present invention relates to a packaging system and procedures for ensuring compliance with medication schedules and particularly relates to a packaging system and procedures for ensuring that the patient receives accurate doses of the required medication at the scheduled times.
It has long been recognized in the medical profession that the prognosis and stability of a patient is at least in part a direct result of compliance with his or her prescribed course of medication. Medications for various ailments are generally prescribed for ingestion at certain periodic intervals or in connection with certain events occurring during the day, for example, mealtimes, bedtime or the like. Other medications may be non-specific as to the time of day in which they are taken. Vitamins, for example, fall into this category. Where patients have two or more medications to be taken at various times of the day, it is frequently difficult to remember to take the prescribed doses at the scheduled times during the day or subsequently to remember whether or not all doses were taken at a previously scheduled time. In the case of elderly or debilitated patients it is difficult, if not impossible, for the patients or for those individuals responsible for their care to determine which medications have been taken, which have been omitted or which may have been duplicated during any given day. In certain instances, accidental over-medication occurs because there is no record of whether or not a medication has already been taken. For example, the patient may assume that the medication was not taken when in fact it was, and then take an additional dose, resulting in over-medication. Conversely, under-medication may occur. For example, a patient may assume the prescribed medication was taken at the scheduled time, when in fact it was not
The problem is additionally significant, particularly in the case of elderly or debilitated individuals, even apart from whether the medications are taken or not on the scheduled basis, as it may affect the lifestyle or quality of the individual's life. For example, a major factor in the decision to provide in-home care or to choose institutional care for the elderly or the debilitated is the difficulty of assuring accurate dosing of medications without constant supervision and record keeping. Thus, in many cases, the medical prognosis and lifestyle of the individual evolve about the problem of assuring the accuracy and timeliness of the medication and verification that the medication was in fact timely taken to preclude over-medication or under-medication.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a medication compliance procedure and packaging system for use in following such procedure. As a first step in this procedure, all of the prescription and over-the-counter medications required by the patient are reviewed with the patient and his or her physician or pharmacist, with a view towards organizing the routine for ingesting the medication consistent with the patient's routine or lifestyle. For example, the normal times for rising, taking meals, bedtime, etc., the number of meals per day and other lifestyle factors are first determined. Medications which are required to be given at certain times of the day are then listed on a dosage schedule, with the objective of having as few dosage times per day as possible. Once the dosage schedule is established, other drugs which are non-specific to the time of day, are entered into the schedule at convenient times consistent with the number and type of medications to be given at any one time and the importance of taking the medication in relation to mealtimes.
A list is then prepared for the medications to be taken at each scheduled dosage time. The scheduled dosage times are then provided as part of indicia on a first container for use on a specified day. The first container preferably contains a plurality of separate second containers, each containing all of the prescribed and over-the-counter medication scheduled for administration at a particular time during that day. That is, the first indicia associated with the first container indicates the day on which the medication is to be taken. The second containers contain the respective medications, which are to be taken at prescribed times during that day. Indicia is provided on the second containers, setting forth the time that medication therein is to be taken. Optionally, the nature of that medication may also be listed, for example, the type of medication and quantity to be taken at that time.
These second containers are inserted into the first container, preferably in an orderly sequence such that the second containers may be removed from the first container in known chronological sequence. Preferably, the first container has a window or at least a portion thereof which is transparent in order to view the indicia of the second containers which indicate the time at which the medication is to be taken that day. Thus, upon removal of the second container having the first medication of the day, the time for the next medication, as indicated by the indicia on the chronologically next second container, will appear through the window or transparent material of the first container.
In this manner, the patient is provided an indication of the time at which the next medication should be taken that day. The absence of a second container in the first container and bearing indicia of an earlier time will indicate that the medication in such second container has been taken. Conversely, the existence of a second container within the first container bearing an earlier indicia of time demonstrates that the medication therein was not taken at such time, enabling the patient to then take the medication, if appropriate, without fear of taking the medication twice. Thus, both accidental under-medication and over-medication are prevented.
The first containers hereof are provided preferably in a group or set of seven containers, each having indicia indicating a different day of the week. A plurality of second containers are provided and bear indicia indicative of the dosage times for each day of the week and are inserted into the appropriate first containers, whereby a medication compliance set useful for a week's medication is provided.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a medication compliance packaging system comprising a first container, indicia carried by the first container indicative of a day of the week, a plurality of second containers for disposition within the first container and adapted to contain medication, and indicia carried by the second containers indicative of the times of the day that the respective medications contained therein are to be taken by a patient whereby medications may be accurately dosed from the packaging system at the proper time during that day. Preferably, the first container has at least in part a portion thereof defining a window for viewing the interior of the first container whereby the portion of the second container bearing indicia indicating the dosage time for that day may be exposed to view through the window. Additionally, the second containers are disposed in the first container in chronological sequence such that as the second containers are individually removed therefrom in chronological sequence, the indicia of the second container next to be removed visually appears through the window of the first container.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medication compliance packaging system comprising a set of first containers, indicia carried by the first containers indicative of successive days of the week, respectively, a plurality of second containers disposed within each of the first containers and adapted to contain medication, and indicia carried by each of the second containers indicative of the time of day that the medication contained therein is to be taken by a patient whereby medications may be accurately dosed at the proper time during each day of the week.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medication compliance procedure comprising the steps of providing a first container, providing indicia for the first container indicative of the day of the week, providing a plurality of second containers, disposing medication in each of the second containers, locating the second containers in the first container, and providing indicia for the second containers indicative of the times of day that the respective medications contained therein are to be taken by the patient whereby medication can be accurately dosed at the scheduled times during that day.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved medication compliance packaging system and procedure which readily and easily enables the patient to comply with the prescribed dosage and dosage schedule, prevents accidental over-medication and under-medication and affords verification that the medication has been taken.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide a medication compliance packaging system in the form of lightweight, substantially unbreakable, flexible packages convenient for use at home or during travel and which may be readily and easily carried by the patient.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings.